To function properly at altitude, where air pressure is relatively low, internal combustion engines onboard vehicles, such as aircraft, use intake air and cooling air to be conditioned for proper engine function. Such engines use a compressor to increase the mass of flow rate of air to the engine intake. Because a compressor increases the temperature of the charge air, the engine intake also includes an intercooler or heat exchanger to cool the compressed air. Further, such engines may include one or more radiators to dissipate engine heat during operation.
However, if an intercooler undercools the charge air to an engine, such undercooled air can adversely affect the performance of the engine. Conversely, if the operation of the intercooler rejects excessive amounts of heat absorbed by the radiator that circulates coolant for the engine, the performance of that radiator, and hence the engine, may be adversely affected. In addition, such engines need to be capable of operation at low altitude or ground, where the aircraft is moving at a relatively low velocity, or is stationary. Accordingly, there is a need for a compact engine cooling system for an aircraft that is sufficiently flexible to provide intake air and cooling air for an engine at a preferred temperature range at both in flight and stationary on ground conditions.